Next Generation Partners

Leading Associates

Employment in Estonia

Magnusson

The team at Magnusson acts for clients including Volvo Estonia and Inter Cars. Its workload includes the employment aspects of restructuring, day-to-day advice, and representing employers and employees in litigation. Senior associate Sille Eerik has notable expertise in cross-border employment matters, including overseas hires and the movement of workers. Maisvee successfully represented Clean Planet in litigation - a hearing that was broadcast publicly due to its significance to employment law. Rando Maisvee is now with Moss Legal.

Key clients

Volvo Estonia OÜ


OÜ Bestair Kaubandus


Inter Cars S.A.


Dunlop Hiflex Oy


European Fund Management Consulting OÜ


KSA Logica OÜ


OÜ Kiilto Eesti


Estonian Furniture Industry Association


Investly Holding OÜ


Association of Estonian Private Medical Services Providers


Work highlights


  • Advising Volvo Trucks on employment and data protection issues.
  • Advising the Estonian subsidiary of Inter Cars S.A. on its employment issues in Estonia, including handling the restructuring of the client’s agency system and transfer of employees, involving transfer of enterprise and accompanying liabilities.
  • Acted for Clean Planet in employment litigation.

Sorainen

Sorainen advises on a range of complex employment matters, including restructuring, contracts, employee terminations and collective bargaining, with a strong record in cross-border cases. The firm acts for a range of international clients in industries such as telecoms, retail, and IT, handling employment disputes and advisory work. Karin Madisson leads the practice, providing significant corporate expertise. Senior associate Hannah Pakh left to join Ellex.

Practice head(s):

Karin Madisson


Key clients

Siemens


Tieto


Teligent


AGA (Linde Group)


PKC Group


MarkIT


Sportradar


HKScan


Revino Farming


Work highlights


  • Advising Finnair on employment termination matters.
  • Advising Sportradar on complex employment and immigration matters.

Ellex

Ellex is a sought out by major national and regional corporate clients, including Eesti Energia and Marks & Spencer. Its work spans day-to-day employment advisory matters, as well as more complex contentious and non-contentious work, including the employment aspects of restructuring and defending clients against compensation claims. The practice is led by Martin Käerdi, with senior associate Reet Saks also noted. Hanna Pahk joined from Sorainen.

Practice head(s):

Martin Käerdi


Key clients

Marks & Spencer


Nordecon AS


Maxima Eesti OÜ


Eesti Energia AS


Dimedium AS


United Finance AS


Tere AS


Skeleton Technologies


Redgate Capital


Work highlights


  • Advising AS Gaasivõrgud on the employment aspects of its restructuring.
  • Advising Saint Gobain on its share offering to employees.
  • Representing Valmos against a compensation claim relating to working conditions and occupational disease.

Eversheds Sutherland Ots & Co

Led by Tambet Toomela, the employment team at Eversheds Sutherland Ots & Co acts for clients on a range of issues, including day-to-day employment advice, collective redundancy, and disputes over termination and workplace injury. The practice maintains a public profile through lectures and articles concerning new considerations in employment law including mental health, working environment, and harassment. Notable clients include G4S Eesti and the Estonian Bar Association. In one high-profile matter, Toomela advised on the dismissal of a doctor who refused to administer vaccines to children.

Practice head(s):

Tambet Toomela


Key clients

Tallinn Municipal Medical Centre


AS Eesti Keskonnateenused


Fleep Technologies OÜ


AS G4S Eesti


Estonian Bar Association


Oniar OÜ


Metsi OÜ


AS Postimees Grupp


Verston Holding OÜ


Work highlights


  • Advised on the high-profile dismissal of a doctor who refused to administer vaccinations, in an act of non-compliance with state immunisation laws.
  • Advised on structuring a collective redundancy framework for a company in liquidation, including drafting relevant documentation and providing day-to-day assistance.
  • Negotiated a settlement in a dispute over compensation due to a workplace injury.

NJORD Law Firm

NJORD Law Firm acts for a wide variety of corporate clients in industries such as IT, transport, finance and insurance, as well as working in the public sector, notably assisting SOS Children's Village with issues concerning the regulation of childcare workers, including lobbying on the issue in Parliament. Other work includes day-to-day advice, the drafting of employee contracts, the employment aspects of restructuring, and representing clients in disputes. Experienced employment specialist Katrin Sarap leads the practice, while litigator Triinu Hiob is prolific in work accident and occupational health cases.

Practice head(s):

Katrin Sarap


Key clients

ERGO Insurance SE


AQ Lasertool OÜ


SOS Children’s Village


Imepilt OÜ


Operail AS


Fontes PMP OÜ


Stoneridge Electronics AS


GoWorkaBit Estonia OÜ


Kim Johansen Transport OÜ


Itella Estonia


Work highlights


  • Advising SOS Childrens’s Village on the legal position of child carers with local municipalities, including lobbying in Parliament.
  • Assisting GoWorkaBit Estonia with the regulation of short-term employment conditions.
  • Representing Ergo Insurance in numerous employment disputes.

TARK

Hannes Küün leads the practice at TARK, which brings sector-specific experience to employment concerns in a number of industries, including IP/IT, manufacturing, banking and finance, retail,  transport and logistics. Matters include cross-border employment concerns, occupational safety, benefits and compensation, and trade union relations. Clients include Olympic Entertainment Group and My Fitness.

Practice head(s):

Hannes Küün


Key clients

Rakuten Group


Outfunnel OÜ


Klaus


Schmolz + Bickenbach Baltic OÜ


Pixster OÜ


Olympic Entertainment Group


MyFitness AS


Embassy of the United States


SDA Akademia OÜ


Work highlights


  • Advising Rakuten Europe on a collective redundancy and a new incentive system.
  • Representing Schmolz + Bickenbach in a dispute with a former employee regarding the employee’s non-compete clause.
  • Advising Olympic Entertainment Group on planning and implementing a management reorganisation strategy.

Law Firm TEGOS (Formerly TGS Baltic)

TGS Baltic acts on a range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters, including temporary worker contracts, legislative advice, and representing businesses in disputes regarding employee termination and compensation. The practice is led by senior associate Anu Kirss, who primarily acts for clients in the retail, energy, pharmaceutical, and transportation industries.

Practice head(s):

Anu Kirss


Key clients

Žemaitijos pienas


Solis Biodyne


Schlössle Hotel Group


Biuro


Kodumaja


Philip Morris


Timbeco Group


Timbeco Woodhouse OÜ


Mammut Element


Morobell Keskühistu


Supelsaksad


Work highlights


  • Advising Solis Biodyne on a complex employment termination.
  • Advising Phillip Morris on recent and upcoming changes to Estonian labour law.
  • Advising Kodumajatehase and KM Element on negotiating agreements for additional temporary employees.

WALLESS

The practice at WALLESS (former Derling Primus) acts on the full range of employment matters including post-M&A restructuring, cross-border staff transfers, hiring and layoff advice, and labour disputes. The firm advises diverse international clients including Michelin Tires, Avon, and LMT, and frequently handles cross-border work. Practice head Toomas Taube is widely praised for his experience and 'hands-on' approach; he advised Corel Corporation as local counsel on the multi-jurisdictional acquisition of Parallel, including the transfer of employees, which involved complex aspects related to employment and immigration law.

Practice head(s):

Toomas Taube


Testimonials

Very professional and easy to work with. They are responsive and can meet short deadlines.’

Key clients

Avon


Redeem Nordics OÜ


Michelin Group


Latvian Mobile Telephone (LMT)


Corel Corporation


Ėolane Group


AS Liviko


Hireright


HAVI Logistics


Fort Aero AS


Work highlights


  • Advising Corel Corporation, as local counsel, on the multi-jurisdictional acquisition of Parallels’s business, including the transfer of employees and other employment-related matters.
  • Advising Redeem Nordics on a collective lay-off of approx. 80 employees, as well as on other employment law matters.
  • Assistance to Ėolane Group related to service agreements with top management, and immigration law matters related to the hiring of aliens.

Cobalt

Karina Paatsi leads the practice at Cobalt, advising corporate clients on day-to-day and post-M&A employment considerations. Pirkko-Liis Harkmaa left the firm.

Practice head(s):

Karina Paatsi


WALLESS

FORT advises corporate clients primarily on day-to-day employment considerations including contracts and documentation, as well as more complex work including individual and collective terminations, notably advising Hansabuss on the collective termination of employee agreements and the negotiation of a new agreement. The practice is jointly led by Kirsti Pent and experienced litigator Andreas Veeret.

Practice head(s):

Kirsti Pent; Andreas Veeret;


Key clients

Tuleva


LNK Group


East Capital Real Estate


URETEK Baltic OÜ


Ecolines


Phoenix Group


Crowdestate


Etoiles OÜ


Viru Keskus


LHV Pank


OÜ Perton Ehitus


Work highlights


  • Advised Hansa Bussiliinid on a collective termination of employment agreements .
  • Assisted Hansabuss and Hansa Bussiliinid with the interpretation and application of the collective agreement with Estonian Transport and Road Workers’ Trade Union.

KPMG Law in Estonia

The 'flexible' team at Advokaadibüroo KPMG Law advises corporate clients primarily on day-to-day employment matters, including employee contracts and agreements, alongside more contentious work such as the termination of employment contracts and removal of board members, with cases argued before the Labour Disputes Committee. The practice is led by Karin Kaup, while 'pragmatic' associate Kaia Kuusler is also noted..

Practice head(s):

Karin Kaup


Key clients

Ramirent Shared Services AS


Cramo Estonia AS


AS Glamox


Datomia Research Labs OÜ


IIZI Group AS


Versobank AS (in liquidation)


SOL Baltics OÜ


Polybius Tech OÜ


FoodDocs OÜ


Indro Päll


UAB Ad Baltic


A & R Carton AS


Work highlights


  • Advised A&R Carton on the removal of a board member.
  • Represented Mr Indro Päll before the Labour Dispute Committee regarding the termination of his employment with Benefit AS.
  • Advised Versobank on the employment considerations of its liquidation.